|
The Dutch choral conductor, Bob Vaalburg, who grew up in a musical family. He took piano lessons, his parents took him to classical music concerts and during his studies he sang in a choir. In the early 1980's, he moved to the Hanseatic city. Together with his wife he founded a singing group. The group grew and at some point he became a conductor.
The cantata services were held from 1975 at the Burgwalkerk in Kampen, which is now known as De Burgwal and has been given a largely cultural purpose. The cantata services are held here to this day. 'In the beginning the performances were held five or six times a year, later ten times. It was always a whole organization, because he had to find singers and musicians for every performance. They had a pool of candidates that they could draw from. Among the musicians were amateurs and professionals.
The initiator of the performances was the recently deceased organist of the Burgwalkerk, Theo van Dijk. Together with him and violinist Emo van Halsema, Bob Vaalburg took the initiative for performances on a more structural basis. This is how the Bachkoor en -orkest Kampen were born. The first work according to fixed programming was in 1990 Adventscantate BWV 61
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. Bob Vaalburg had meanwhile successfully completed a course at the conservatory and the diploma in choral conducting. His music studies could be combined well with his work as a teacher of classical languages (Latin and Greek, ed.) at a number of schools in Zwolle, including Gymnasium Celeanum (August 2000-2021).
Bob Vaalburg led the cantatas alone for some twenty years. Later he alternated with Bovenkerk organist Ab Weegenaar and his colleague Sander van den Houten from the Burgwalkerk. They will take over his management work. Among the public is a large group of regular visitors. To select the cantatas, the church year is followed as established in the Lutheran church (the church to which Bach was affiliated, ed.). There is a specific cantata for every Sunday. The choice also depends on whether the piece can be rehearsed in one day, the Saturday before the performance. Vaalburgsaid: “Good church music always adds something to the spoken word. Cantatas are not intended as concert music, but written for worship. The music contains all kinds of Baroque elements from Italian music. J.S. Bach is also called the fifth Evangelist. His music touches our hearts and consciousness in places where the spoken word cannot penetrate.”
As a conductor, Bob Vaalburg naturally had his own input. ''I always thought it was important that the singers and soloists sing what is written and articulate their text well. This is important because each part has its own pace and movement. Moreover, as a conductor you always have to take into account what the choir members can handle. He stoped for various reasons: "My sight is getting less and moreover, the organization of the cantata services gives a certain pressure". On Sunday June 12, 2022, he was on the trestle for the last time in the Burgwal. The program included cantata BWV 93 Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten. Soloists were Hansje van Welbergen (soprano), Chantal Nysingh (alto), Emilio Aquilar (tenor) and Lars Terray (bass); the organist was Sander van den Houten; the preache Rev. Dineke Havinga. In June 2022, he received the Royal Award from Mayor Sander de Rouwe. He was appointed Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau |
